Star Wars: I Know Places
by infantilejoy
Summary: A story of what-ifs, a story of tests and trials, a story of change: "Star Wars: I Know Places" takes you to a galaxy far, far away to see what might've happened had things taken a turn for the... better? A suicidal mother, another broken code, a suspicious Padawan, and a dark force come together to create a story unheard of in the fanfiction universe.
1. Part I

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?"

Icy blue eyes seemed to bore a hole into her. "I must know."

"I can't. I won't."

Obi-Wan stood up and moved from the couch to the threshold. "Anakin is the father, isn't he?" He asked, mentioning the Senator's growing midsection.

Padmé refused to look at him. He could figure out for himself, but she would never admit it.

"I'm so sorry," Obi-Wan admitted truthfully, knowing that Anakin had to be killed before he carried out more of Darth Sidious's evil plans. He started to cross towards his small ship, but Padmé stopped him.

"Wait." She stood as well, still not making eye contact. "Promise me you won't kill him."

Obi-Wan chose his words carefully as he made his way back to Padmé. "You know that I must do what I have to. But I don't want to see him hurt any more than you do, Padmé. The only promise I can make is to put it off as long as I can." He took her small hands.

The callouses on his hands were prominent against her smooth ones. She shivered at the touch, but still refused to look up. "I know. I just- there's still good in him, still a light, and I feel it, Obi-Wan, I do!" She finally looked up, tears almost overflowing their boundaries. "It's still there, after all these years, all this time, all these- these changes."

"I wish there was a light. Truly, I do. But he has turned to the Dark Side, and there is nothing left for the Jedi to do. These are orders I cannot ignore, Padmé." He looked into her eyes, bending down to catch them, as her head was bent.

"No! It's there! I feel it!" She pulled away from him.

Obi-Wan's voice began to rise. "That light was put out when he crossed over, when he knelt and pledged his allegiance to Darth Sidious!" He almost lost it, but reminded himself to be gentle with her.

"I don't believe it. How can you say this about him?" She turned back towards him.

"I loved him like a brother, Padmé. He was my apprentice." He lowered his voice.

"He is my _husband_." There was a flash of anger in her eyes, but they softened almost immediately.

"Then we both knew him equally well," Obi-Wan whispered, stroking a loose strand of dark, curly hair out of her tear-streaked face.

"You can't kill him," she whimpered helplessly.

"Maybe not, but I have to. You know this, Padmé. Please, Senator, I'm begging you: tell me where he's at."

Padmé looked at him, staring right into his eyes, which he immediately wanted to avert, but didn't. "Mustafar. He told me that's where he was to meet the Chancellor."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan breathed. "I must not waste any time." He started off after thanking her once again.

"Wait. You're not going alone," Padmé called after him, just as he reached the threshold.

"I won't allow you to tag along," Obi-Wan informed her seriously.

"Why not?" She placed her hands on his hips defiantly.

"Mustafar is no place for a woman like you. Stay here, take care of yourself. I will return as soon as I can." He turned to leave again.

"If you're going to kill him, at least- at least just let me go. Let me see him one last time."

"I can't let you go there."

"He will never be here to help me raise our child! He won't even be here when it's born! I'm going, with or without your blessing!" Padmé exclaimed definitively.

He only sighed. "I know I cannot ultimately stop you, but I would rather you not come at all. Do you know why?"

"Of course I do. You've only ever wanted the best for me." She began to cross the room towards him. "And I thank you for all the times you've had my best interest in mind." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "But I have to go."

He sighed again. "I understand."

"We'll go in my ship."

"Only if you're comfortable."

She leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly, then led him to the large silver ship, loading the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 on as well.


	2. Part II

"I saw your ship. Is everything alright?" Anakin placed a hand on Padmé's cheek.

"I'd heard terrible things, Anakin."

"What things?" He asked calmly.

"I heard that you- you'd killed younglings, that you crossed over to the Dark Side!"

"Who told you these things?"

"Obi-Wan did. Anakin, I'm scared."

"Obi-Wan is trying to make you turn away from what is right."

"I knew you couldn't have done those awful things-"

"Come with me, Padmé. Experience my new powers. With these, I can overthrow my master and we can rule the galaxy! And I can finally save you." He ran a finger down her cheek.

"Rule the galaxy? Anakin, what are you talking about?"

"We can make it our empire, make things the way we want them to be!"

Padmé started to cry. "Obi-Wan was right! You've changed; I don't know you anymore!" She began to back away, towards the ship.

"Don't tell me you've turned away, too." Anakin's voice held danger.

"You're going down a path I cannot follow. But I still love you, Anakin! Come back with me; help me raise our child!"

" _Liar_!" Anakin bellowed. He then sensed another, much stronger, presence. He slowly turned his head towards the entrance of Padmé's ship. There he saw Obi-Wan, standing with his feet spread apart and hands on his hips.

"No!" Padmé pleaded.

"You turned her against me!" Anakin roared.

"You have done that yourself!" Obi-Wan declared.

"You will not take her from me!"

"Your greed and lust for power has already done that."

"Anakin, come back-" But Anakin cut her off, using the Force to choke her.

"Let her go!" Obi-Wan shouted. "Let her go, Anakin!"

Anakin only glanced at him. Padmé's face began to go pale. Obi-Wan knew he had to do something, and quick.

"Let her go!"

Anakin heeded and obeyed. Padmé fell to the ground, unconscious.

"No!" Obi-Wan yelled. He knelt by her body, laid a hand on her cheek, and made sure she was still breathing. "This is unacceptable, Anakin!" He informed his apprentice loudly as he stood up.

"The Council sent you here to kill me. They would not allow me to become a Jedi Master. _That_ was unacceptable! _I was the Chosen One_!"

"You were supposed to bring order, not destruction!"

Anakin bellowed again and ran at Obi-Wan, illuminating his lightsaber which had become a deep red. He kicked Obi-Wan in the chest, flinging him backwards, but Obi-Wan caught control, flipped around, and landed on his feet, also illuminating his blue lightsaber.

He flung a strike at Anakin, who dodged it. A series of lightsaber clashes followed as they moved throughout the plant.

Eventually they made their way to the main stream of lava which all but covered the planet Mustafar. They battled fiercely, neither giving up. Then, after hovering on broken pieces of the plant, Obi-Wan leaped a great height to the nearest land mass.

"Give up, Anakin. This is the end! I have the high ground."

"It's not over," Anakin said grimly.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened in realization. "Don't try it!"

Suddenly, Anakin leaped off the plant piece and started to come down just above Obi-Wan.

A hand grabbed Obi-Wan's lightsaber by its hilt and yanked it out of his grasp. The lightsaber continued up and expertly sliced through Anakin's left arm and both of his legs. Anakin's dismembered body landed with a thud. He groaned in pain.

Obi-Wan looked behind him to find the character that grabbed his lightsaber. He saw only Padmé, shaking and gasping. "Did you do that?"

"I- I did what I had to."

Obi-Wan took her by the shoulders and said, "That must have taken a lot of courage. It was perfectly executed, and I'm honored to have been a witness."

" _I hate you_!" Anakin screamed, still writhing in pain. "I hate both of you!"

"What- what have I done?" Tears flew down her face, seemingly racing each other.

"It was for the best," Obi-Wan admitted quietly.

"How could I have done this?" She sank to her knees, dirtying her gown in the soot and ashes.

Obi-Wan scooped her up. "We must leave now. Quickly, before Darth Sidious arrives, looking for him. Surely he will die before-"

"No! No, I have to stay! I must stay with him!"

"We are leaving, Padmé. There's no going back." Tears flowed, drenching both of their faces as they heard Anakin groan loudly. "We must leave it in the past and look to the future now." And with that, Obi-Wan silently carried a screaming Padmé back to her ship and flew away, hoping to forget everything that had happened.


	3. Part III

**Slight trigger warning for those who are suicidal.**

"I should like to pitch myself off right here," Padmé whispered to Obi-Wan, standing on the balcony of her Coruscant apartment.

"You did what I could not. You did right."

"I _murdered_ my _husband_."

"He would have murdered you."

Padmé looked up at him, still in her ruined gown. "What do you mean?"

Obi-Wan hesitated, but told her anyway. "I saw two futures, Padmé. One in which you would have died because you couldn't bring yourself to kill him."

"How would I have died?"

"You wouldn't have had the will to live."

She looked back down. "But you said _he_ would have murdered me."

"He would have broken your heart."

"He already did."

A few moments passed in silence before she spoke again. "What was the other future?"

"The one we're living right now," Obi-Wan said, looking over at her.

She gave a dry laugh. "Either way, I would like to have already died." She leaned against the balcony's railing and placed her head in both hands.

"Don't say that. You have an entire life ahead of you yet." Obi-Wan placed a hand on her back protectively, scared she might actually go through with her original plan of suicide and jump right off, out of his grasp, out of his protection.

"You can see it? My life, I mean."

"Not clearly."

Again, a few short moments passed without another exchange of words.  
"You should be going to that meeting now."

"Not without you. I'm not leaving you here alone."

"I _want_ to be alone."

"You'll throw yourself off the balcony!"

"What difference does it make to you?" She screamed. As soon as she saw the surprised look on Obi-Wan's face, she immediately wished she hadn't.

His eyebrows furrowed. "It makes all the difference to me," he whispered.

"Come on, then," Padmé sighed. "Let's go." She started for the ship.

"Thank the Force," he breathed. "I'll fly," he informed Padmé.

As soon as they were seated, pilot and copilot looked at one another wearily.

Padmé was the first to speak. "I'm sorry I screamed at you. It's just- just the tension, and what happened earlier, and my- my hormones-"

"I understand. It's not your fault." Obi-Wan smiled dryly at her.

"Thank you."

"Why don't you go to the back and lie down?" Obi-Wan asked as the ship pulled off from the apartment's second balcony.

"I won't be able to sleep. It's no use."

"Please try. Your back is hurting."

She smartly looked over at him. "You can tell?"

He didn't avert his eyes from the sky in front of him. "Yes. Now, please go."

"It's not going to make it any bet-"

Obi-Wan eyed her sharply and quickly; his eyes seemed to tell her that she has no choice.

"Why don't I just rest up here?" She was testing to see how far she could push him.

He laughed. "I'll carry you back myself if I must, Senator."

She sighed deeply. "You'll be okay?"

"I'll be fine."

She thanked him and went to the back of the ship, opened up a cot, and laid down. Immediately, stress seemed to simply drain out of her body. She gave a low sigh of relief, and flew off into sleep.

"Senator, we've arrived," Obi-Wan said softly, shaking Padmé's shoulder, who supported herself upon her elbows. "Feeling better, I hope?" A sly smirk appeared on his face.

She smiled coyly. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Come on, then. We don't want to be late."

Padmé followed him into the Jedi Temple, humbled to be in such a place. They reached the Council's session room, where Yoda and Bail Organa were waiting.

"I hope you don't mind her presence, Master Yoda. I couldn't leave her."

"Understandable, that is. Mind her presence, I do not. Many things today have you been through. Hard times these are," Yoda replied, nodding. "She is here, good thing that is. Anywhere else, dangerous that would be."

"What are you implying, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Still alive, Anakin was found. New body he has."

"He's alive?" Obi-Wan questioned incredulously.

"Indeed. Called Lord Vader, he is now."

Padmé didn't know what to think. Whether she was relieved or angry, she had no idea. So she did the only thing she could think of. She ran.


	4. Part IV

**Trigger warning for those who are suicidal.**

She ran like Darth Sidious himself was chasing her. She ran out of the Temple and down the slender sidewalk, dark hair getting windblown and tangled. A Twi'lek girl jumped out of her way as she careened down the pathway that led to the one river deep enough to drown in. She stared, crazed by her mad dash, at the rapid currents that could take her under faster than the blink of an eye.

Obi-Wan, followed by Bail and the aging Yoda, ran without breaking his stride down Padmé's path, guided partly by the Force.

Padmé climbed the barrier and threw herself into the ravenous waters. Coldness struck her flesh instantly and her lungs fought to keep up with the quick pace of her heart. She wanted to float back up and call for help, but she wanted more to sink deeper and deeper into the depths of uncertain water.

The two Jedi and the senator reached the river's edge too late. Yoda could sense the woman's dying spirit.

"Damnit!" Obi-Wan screamed, slamming his fists on the metal railing that separated the river from the sidewalk.

Padmé's lungs painfully screamed for oxygen. She wrapped her arms protectively around her stomach, ready to give in to death. She felt a baby kick at the touch. _Her_ baby _._ She wanted to cry out. She knew she couldn't do this, she didn't want to kill two beings. Did she? One foot touched the sandy bottom. She brought the other one down, but cut it on a sharp rock. The currents moved her about wildly, and when she got sure footholds, she pushed up, up towards the surface, up towards an uncertain future, up towards unknown feelings. She was almost to the top when the lack of air stopped her heart.

"There!" Obi-Wan shouted and pointed, thankful to have spotted a glimpse of Padmé's body. He used the Force to bring her body ashore, ignoring the fact that he could be spotted by an ally of Darth Sidious. His mind was on the senator and whether her heart still beat or not. As soon as she was away from the dangers of the water, Obi-Wan cradled her head in his lap, not feeling the icy water that seeped into his breeches and onto his skin.

"Is there a pulse?" Bail asked.

Obi-Wan placed two fingers on her neck, just below her chin. "No." He ran a hand through his hair.

"Get her to the medical center, we must immediately," Yoda said grimly.

"I know cardiopulmonary resuscitation," Bail informed them, kneeling down. "Support her neck, General Kenobi."

Obi-Wan did as he was instructed, holding her neck and head up with both hands. He watched as Bail repeated the procedure three times before Padmé turned to her side, coughed loudly, and passed out once more. He wrapped her in his deep brown cloak for warmth. "Let us get her to the medical center."

Twenty minutes later, Obi-Wan, Bail, and Yoda were waiting outside of Padmé's room at the medical center. They hadn't made much small talk. Suddenly, her door slid open and a short medical droid buzzed out. Obi-Wan stood, his nerves wracked with anticipation and fear.

"General Obi-Wan Kenobi, Senator Padmé Naberrie Amidala has requested your presence." The droid's automated voice sounded almost human, Obi-Wan noted silently. He followed the droid across the wide hallway into her room briskly.

"Padmé," he breathed. He took in her face, still pale, but still beautiful. Her hair was damp and her curls matted.

"Obi-Wan. I'm- I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I caused all of-"

"Shh." He stroked her hair gently. "It's going to be alright. We're glad that you're okay."

Slowly, her eyes closed again, and a nearby screen flashed as the room filled with a beeping noise.

"Please back up, General." The same droid that had escorted him here gently maneuvered him out of the way. A handful of medical droids began to attend to her.

Obi-Wan stood helplessly and watched as Padmé's bland expression turned worried and pained.

Beyond the glass that separated them, Yoda looked away sadly.

A taller droid asked Obi-Wan to leave until his presence was requested again, and the Jedi obeyed solemnly, joining Yoda and Bail outside of the sterile white room.

The three had been waiting for half an hour when the short droid came out to inform them that Padmé's condition was stable and that she could have visitors.

"Please alert us if anything seems to be wrong," the droid requested.

"Of course," Obi-Wan replied, before walking back into her room alone.

"You're going to be okay," he said, nodding and smiling happily at her.

She said nothing.

"Padmé. Why did you decide to come back up to the surface of the water?" He asked, genuinely concerned for her mental health.

She again said not a word, but took his hand in her cold, petite one and placed it on her stomach. He was confused, until he felt a movement underneath his hand. He looked at her in amazement.

She turned her face away from his. "That's why."


	5. Part V

Three days later, she was confirmed to be stable and was discharged from the medical center. Obi-Wan and Bail had stayed the entire time, sleeping on cold, hard benches outside of her room. The travel back to her apartment shared by Obi-Wan and Padmé was silent.

"Master Yoda appointed me to look after you until a week after your child arrives. Then, I'm afraid, I must leave you," he said to Padmé as the ship made contact with the balcony floor. Padmé paid no attention as she exited her ship and practically flew across the balcony and inside to her chamber, locking the doors. Obi-Wan sighed. "I'm going to have to get used to the non-talkative version," he said to himself.

Walking in, he decided to leave her be for the time being. He was going to have to fix them both something to eat, though he had almost no idea how to cook. He flipped through the pages of a modern cookbook he'd found until he decided on something simple.

Eventually, Padmé poked her head out of the door at the smell of dinner. She crossed the kitchen silently. "Careful, or that's going to burn," she remarked quietly as she peeked over his shoulder.

Obi-Wan jumped a little. "I apologize, Senator. I wasn't expecting you to come out so early."

"Wait, is that omáhu?" Padmé asked, referring to the vegetable being sautéed in the pan.

"I believe so," Obi-Wan answered.

"I'm allergic to omáhu."

He looked over at her in disbelief. "You are? I- I apologize, milady. I didn't know-" Obi-Wan scrambled to get the vegetable out of the pan.

Padmé stopped his efforts, laughing. "I was just kidding."

Obi-Wan closed his eyes briefly, half out of relief, half out of frustration. He returned the pan and the yellow vegetable back to the stove. "You scared me to death. I thought I was going to have to fly you back to the medical center." He sent her a small, playful smile.

"You wouldn't enjoy that?" She asked, innocently batting her eyelashes.

For the next hour, Padmé hovered around him, helping him cook and giving him tips.

As they sat at the elongated table in the dining room, the two joked with one other, both glad to have the other around.

"I was afraid you were going to be extra moody tonight," he said, amusement lingering in his blue eyes.

"And I thought you were going to be nice," she laughed. She put her eating utensil down and looked over at him. "Thank you for this. I apologize for being so hard to deal with. I know I don't make things easy."

"It's perfectly fine. Gives me something to do."

They cleaned up together, then washed themselves up to go to bed. She set up a quiet space in the small guest bedroom for him, which he accepted humbly. She excused herself so he could meditate alone.

After two hours of tossing and turning, tortured by the familiar scent Anakin left, Padmé stood and went to the guest bedroom with a rather serious request.

"You're lonely," Obi-Wan sensed.

She nodded. "Will you hold me?" She asked sheepishly.

Right away, Obi-Wan nodded. She walked up to the bed, climbed in slowly and got under the sheets. He laid one arm over her hip, allowing his hand to rest just below her stomach. His other arm rested just behind her back, with that hand on her shoulder closest to the pillow. He smiled softly when he felt another movement, one so minuscule he thought he imagined it. He let his nose intake the clean scent of her hair and wished all of her problems away. Though he felt a little too comfortable for a Jedi, he was thankful for her company.

Slightly uncomfortable, since the bed was not her own, she slowly settled into his presence. She could feel his hot steady breaths on her neck. She could feel his heart beat wildly through his tunic. She could feel his hands tense whenever her baby moved inside of her; she couldn't help but smile. She was glad he had come to watch over her. _With luck,_ she thought, _every night can be like this._


	6. Part VI

**Trigger warning for those who are suicidal.**

Obi-Wan awoke to find that Padmé had turned around completely, her nose almost touching his. His arms were somehow wrapped around her back, pulling her closer. _This looks completely wrong,_ he thought.

Padmé's eyes fluttered open, but she looked rather comfortable to be in an almost-kiss position with him. "Morning," she whispered.

"Shall I get breakfast started?" He smiled.

"I can get it, in case you want to meditate. I'll call you when it's ready." She sat up with some difficulty, but Obi-Wan asked her to stay and rest some more.

"I'll do it," he assured her.

"Last night would've been a disaster if I didn't help you," she scolded playfully.

He laughed. "I promise I won't burn it or use anything you're allergic to."

She laid back down, resting her head on her hand, which lay flat on the crisp white pillow. "Thank you." She smiled sweetly.

"Of course, milady." He set off to make the easiest thing he could find in the cookbook.

When the meal was finished and the table was set, Obi-Wan called out and asked her to join him. When no answer came, he called for her once more; again, there was no reply. He started to fear that his time there would be just a week more. He pushed the guest room's door open softly, using his fingertips. He sighed in relief when he found that she was only sleeping. He shut the door and placed her plate in the cooler for later, deciding to allow her more time to sleep.

Obi-Wan ate alone, in silence, thinking nothing of Padmé's unusual sleep schedule. He meditated for longer than usual. The images he saw were disturbing, more so than ever. Death, anger, rage, and love plagued his mind.

When he was finished, he noticed that the windows in the living room were dark, the skyline's silhouette standing out against the deep purple sky. His eyebrows knitted together as he saw no sign of Padmé being awake at all; her plate laid untouched in the cooler, nothing was moved or out of place. He sprinted to the guest bedroom and found that she was not there, yet the sheets were a mess.

"Padmé?" He dashed to her bedroom. The doors were locked, and he could hear frantic sobbing. After a few tries, Obi-Wan kicked one of the doors down. Padmé was leaning over the bed, crying hysterically, her forearms and the blankets covered in ruby red blood.

He came to her side, trying to figure out exactly what happened. Then he saw the source of the blood: two identical vertical slits on both forearms, reaching from her wrists almost to her elbows. He stopped a gasp, knowing it would only upset her more.

"Let's get this cleaned up," he coaxed calmly, trying to console her.

"No; no, leave me!" She would not leave on her own, so Obi-Wan knew he was going to have to coerce her. He picked her up, ignoring her screamed protests.

He carried her into the washroom, where he washed her arms and staunched the flow with gauze and medical tape. He wiped her tears away, a task that he thought would never end. When she seemed to run out of tears, she leaned into him, cautious of her sore arms.

"You scared me. I thought I was going to lose you," he said, embracing her gently. He laid his chin on her head and closed his eyes.

"That blanket's ruined."

He laughed. "I hope you're not seriously worried about the blanket."

"I hate that blanket." She buried her head in his neck. "It smells like him."

"We can get rid of it if it makes you uncomfortable."

"That would be perfect."

"You okay now?" He looked down at her.

"No." She laughed humorlessly.

"What happened? You seemed fine this morning." He brushed her hair out of her face.

She looked at him, fear and hopelessness etched into her facial features. "I hate living in fear, Obi-Wan. I can't do it anymore."

He placed a hand on her stomach tentatively and looked straight into her brown eyes. "I think you're forgetting why you saved your own life four days ago."


	7. Part VII

The next day, as Obi-Wan was sterilizing Padmé's self-induced wounds in the washroom, they heard a ship land on the balcony and a figure enter the apartment through the open threshold.

"Stay here and be quiet until I tell you it's safe," he instructed her. She nodded and hid behind the door.

He walked out silently and readied his lightsaber, but he didn't illuminate it yet.

"General Kenobi? Please, I know you're here," called a woman's voice.

He peeked into the living room, and sure enough, a young Togruta stood by the couch looking lost. "Yes?"

She looked at him, startled by his voice and sneaky movements. "Hi. I'm Ahsoka Tano."

"Have we met?"

"I don't think so. But don't worry. I'm a Jedi, too." She produced her own lightsaber.

"Is there something I can do for you, Ahsoka?"

"Is Senator Amidala present? Ever since the Order 66 incident, I've stayed in hiding, and have been training to become a doctor. Master Yoda sent me to stay here until you leave." Obi-Wan nodded in understanding. "Oh, he sent a hologram for proof." She brought out a small circular disc, from which a blue hologram sprung up.

"Greetings, General Kenobi. Sent the young Ahsoka to you, I have," the Jedi Master started. He repeated everything Ahsoka had said.

"I see. Yes, she's in the washroom. I was just cleaning her wounds."

"Wounds?" The Togruta girl sounded concerned. "Did something happen?"

"Recently, she's been depressed and suicidal. She slit her forearms last night. Sliced them from here to here." He traced his left forearm to show the approximate length of the cuts.

"May I see her?"

"Of course. Follow me."

When they reached the smallish washroom, Obi-Wan called to Padmé that everything was safe. Padmé came out from behind the door and inquired as to who Ahsoka was and why she was there, questions to which Obi-Wan provided sufficient answers.

"Let's have a look at your arms," Ahsoka requested.

Reluctantly, Padmé offered her forearms to Ahsoka.

"When did this happen?"

"Last night," Padmé said.

"You cleaned these?" Ahsoka asked, looking at Obi-Wan. He nodded. "Very well done."

"Thank you."

"I'll replace the gauze that was over them," Ahsoka stated, looking at the bloodied gauze lying on the counter. "Then I'd like to set up the ultrasound machine, so we can have a look at the little one, make sure it's developing correctly."

"I'll leave you two to be," Obi-Wan mentioned. "This is none of my business."

"You're fine. You can join us if you'd like," Padmé assured him.

"No, I really shouldn't."

"I would rather you do," she confirmed.

He nodded and smiled to show that he would stick around.

Not too long after, Padmé lay on her bed, the stained blanket removed and replaced with a fresh gray one. Obi-Wan sat in a chair by her side, holding her shoulder reassuringly. Ahsoka had already cleaned up the ultrasound equipment and exited to make tea for the three of them.

"Twins," Padmé breathed. "A boy and a girl."

"Congratulations," he said, genuinely happy for her. "Have you thought about names?"

"I haven't any in particular picked out yet."

"I'm sure you will soon."

Ahsoka reentered the room, carrying a tray with three cups of steaming tea placed upon it.

"Do you think either of them will have Anakin's strength in the Force?" Padmé asked Obi-Wan.

Ahsoka almost dropped the tray. "Anakin? As in the legendary Anakin Skywalker?"

"I wouldn't go that far," Padmé huffed.

"I would," Obi-Wan admitted, "considering the monster he's become."

"These are Anakin's children?" As soon as she saw Padmé's nod, she sat down, suddenly dizzy. "He never told me," she mumbled.

"Told you?" Obi-Wan stood. "You knew him?"

"I was his apprentice."

"What? The Council never spoke of him gaining a Padawan."

"What do you mean? He told me the Council appointed him to take me in."

"He hid you from the Council. He wasn't even finished being my apprentice."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. He was never a liar."

"You speak of his becoming a monster. What do you mean by that?" Ahsoka inquired.

"He has become the Sith lord, Darth Vader, under Darth Sidious's mastership."

"No. Not Anakin."

"Yes, Anakin," Padmé affirmed.

"I apologize. I think I'll retire now."

"Of course," Obi-Wan said. "You may have the guest room. I'll stay with Padmé."

Ahsoka nodded wearily and left, shutting the doors.

"I don't need close watching all of the time." Padmé narrowed her eyes at him. Secretly, she was glad he'd said what she couldn't.

"Yes, I insist on it."

"Come on, then," she replied. She motioned for him to join her.


	8. Part VIII

To Obi-Wan's pleasure, a full month and a half passed without any noteworthy incidents. He talked frequently with Ahsoka, regarding the training she received from Anakin, what a doctor's life consisted of, and how she survived Order 66. He found, though, that despite his pains, troubles, and worries, there was one person who could make it feel like nothing problematic existed. Obi-Wan suspected that he'd always loved Padmé, always admired her. But with her in Anakin's arms, he never had a chance to get close to her.

To Ahsoka's horror, she watched as Padmé and Obi-Wan began to fall in love. She knew that Padmé's falling in love with Anakin had been a breach of the Jedi Code, but doing it again with a Jedi Master seemed entirely too wrong. Though, being a Padawan, she didn't dare to say a thing to either of them. She often reminisced about life before her Jedi training had started.

To Padmé's dismay, she wished more and more every day that Anakin would be able to see his children, _their_ children. She wanted so badly to return to Mustafar and rescue him from the Dark Side, from Darth Sidious, from himself. But how could a mere senator compare with Sith lords and an entire legion of stormtroopers? She couldn't, and she knew it. That was one of the only things that confined her to Coruscant. That, and the fact that she was due soon.

"Your arms have healed up nicely," Ahsoka noted, looking upon the puckered scars that laid within the senator's flesh. "There will likely be scars for a very long time, if not forever."

Padmé shrugged. "I deserve it. I shouldn't've done that."

"Your children will be able to see what a fighter you've become," Obi-Wan commented, happiness radiating off of him like the last light of the day radiated off of Tatooine's two moons.

She smiled modestly. "Are we finished here? I would like to speak to Obi-Wan privately."

Ahsoka nodded and removed herself from Padmé's bedroom without another word.

"Please, sit down," Obi-Wan requested. "You're very near-"

"Don't worry. I won't take long." She adjusted the collar on his tunic. "Look, Obi-Wan, I was thinking, and I realized these past few months have been some of my best."

"They were mine as well. You brought me a joy I never thought I could experience."

"I wanted to ask you if you would like to stay. Stay here. With me, I mean."

Obi-Wan cupped her face with his hands. "I would love that. We can raise the children together."

"You always seem to read my mind." Then, she kissed him for the first time. He seemed surprised, but didn't pull away. He kissed back, but was clearly unexperienced and innocent. She stopped and looked into his ocean-blue eyes. "I want you to have custody of them if anything ever happens to me."

"You'll have no need for that. I'm always going to protect you."

"I love the things you say."

"Wait. Let's lie down. You're hurting again."

"Your back is going to hurt when you're carrying two human beings inside of you," came her playfully snarky reply. She listened to his advice, anyway, and they laid down to talk and kiss and reminisce.

Feeling shut-out, Ahsoka watched patiently as the sky faded from blue to orange to pink and finally to dark blue. _Oh, come on, Ahsoka. You're just the midwife. You're not a part of the family,_ she reminded herself.  
She tried to busy herself with readying her things for the twins' imminent birth, but she found she could not focus. She felt a strange calling from somewhere deep inside of her memories, like an old friend returning for a visit, like she had forgotten some part of her past unwillingly. She could feel fire and jealousy. She didn't realize who it meant until the name formed on her lips. _Anakin._ What this calling could possibly mean, she didn't know. But she knew it wasn't good. _Anakin._  
Ahsoka shook off the feelings of evil when she heard her name being called. She hurried to the bedroom, carrying a bag of medical supplies, knowing this _could_ be the day.

"What's going on?" She looked from Obi-Wan to Padmé, getting no reasonable explanation from either. "How do you feel?" She asked the senator, resting a hand on Padmé's shoulder.

"There's this pain, right along here," Padmé explained, tracing a line across her abdomen with a shaking hand.

"Alright, I need you to calm down." Ahsoka looked up at Obi-Wan, who was resting his chin in his hand. "I have to ask you to leave so I can make sure everything is okay. I'm sorry. I'll call you in when I have a diagnosis."

"I understand." He squeezed Padmé's hand before walking out, shutting the doors behind him.

He figured he had been waiting for an hour before Ahsoka came out, her face slick with perspiration.

Ahsoka began with a smile, "She's-"


	9. Part IX

"-perfectly fine," Ahsoka finished. "Her body is just preparing for labor. If they become worse in the next few days, though, let me know. She's confined to bedrest until then."

"Thank you. May I see her now?"

"She's sleeping, so I would leave her be for a little while. Will you join me in the kitchen?"

"Of course."

They sat down at the table, tea in front of them both.

"I've been meaning to speak with you, Master, about..." Ahsoka trailed off.

"About what? You can tell me." He touched her elbow reassuringly.

"Do you love Senator Amidala?" She asked, rather bluntly.

Obi-Wan seemed slightly taken aback. "I don't know if I _love_ her, but I definitely..." He stopped to choose his words carefully. "I definitely care about her very much."

"Spoken like a true Jedi." She let out a small, humorless laugh.

"What does that mean?"

"Love is forbidden by the Jedi Code." Her dark blue eyes met his light ones.

"Yes, it's considered a distraction. What are you getting at?"

"You're falling in love! I see it every time you joke with her, every time you comfort her, every time you wake up with her in your arms."

Obi-Wan ran a hand through his strawberry-blonde hair. "You may be right. She just- she has this effect on me. It's who she is."

Ahsoka didn't expect him to actually admit it. She tried to cover up her shock by looking into her cup. "That's why she's having another Jedi's kids- well, he's a Sith, I guess."

"That's exactly why."

The ear-piercing sound of a landing ship glided throughout the apartment, though it did not wake the weary Padmé. Obi-Wan looked to the balcony, where a small ship painted with yellow accents had landed.

"It can't be," he said, standing to his feet. He looked over at Ahsoka, shocked. "It's Anakin's old ship."

"What?"

A tall, dark figure stepped out, a helmet hiding the visitor's face. His breathing was deep and sounded forced through the heavy helmet.

"Darth Vader. What a pleasure," Obi-Wan greeted sarcastically.

"I wish to see my wife. But I should like to kill you first, my old master." The helmet turned to look at Ahsoka. "Greetings, my Padawan. You shall return with me."

"I won't allow you to see Padmé. She is too frail."

Darth Vader returned his unseen gaze to Obi-Wan. "Frail? What have you done?"

"She is none of your concern now, Anakin."

"That name means nothing to me." Darth Vader illuminated his lightsaber and held it menacingly by his side.

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka did the same.

"Ahsoka, stay out of this. Stay with Padmé," Obi-Wan said.

"He was my master!"

"Your wrongful master," he said, shooting her a glare. "I don't want any trouble, Anakin. Leave us."

Darth Vader only laughed. "I'm not leaving without my wife and my Padawan; nor will I leave without you dead."

"Take us, then, you coward!" A new voice shouted. All three of the others turned to look at Padmé, who was standing in the doorway leading from the living room to her bedroom.

Darth Vader's lightsaber went out as he walked slowly towards his wife. "My love. You're still so beautiful." He reached up to touch her cheek.

She slapped his hand away. "I am _not_ your love anymore."

Ahsoka's eyes widening, she whispered to no one in particular, "No, no, no; she's not supposed to be up."

Anger burned in Darth Vader's mind. "You should've known I was going to find you sooner or later."

"You obviously didn't expect me to stay here," Padmé spat acidly.

"You're right. But _you_ obviously didn't expect _me_ to show up any time soon."

"You're right," Padmé repeated after him. "I thought you were dead. In fact, I hoped you were dead." She knew this last statement wasn't true, of course, but she was praying he didn't.

Just then, Obi-Wan lunged at Darth Vader, lightsaber ready to land in the Sith's back. His intended target turned around, ready to block the attack with his own lightsaber. The weapons clashed with a sound of superficially singeing electricity.

Padmé unsheathed a blaster she'd hidden within the extensive folds of her dress and fired it, aiming for the Sith Lord's shoulder. Darth Vader turned around and used the Force to hold the blaster bolt in midair, keeping his lightsaber locked against Obi-Wan's the whole time.

Obi-Wan's eyes widened.

"Surprised at my powers, aren't you, Obi-Wan?" Darth Vader asked, his gaze never straying from Padmé. His deep voice attacked again. "They've strengthened."

"Yes, they have," Obi-Wan replied snarkily. He nodded at Ahsoka and the two raised their lightsabers and expertly brought them back down, only to be deflected by the Sith's red lightsaber.

Darth Vader forced the blaster bolt through a wall, startling Padmé, who gasped. Her blaster was shaking and pulled down to her hip in shock, but still ready to fire at any moment. The masked figure shot his arm out and lashed at Obi-Wan's unoccupied arm, cutting it fully off at the shoulder.

The Jedi Master yelled out in anguish and toppled over, grasping his shoulder, furiously trying to ease the extraordinary pain. Ahsoka knelt by him, looking up in anger.

Sensing that Ahsoka was powerless without the hope of Obi-Wan, the Sith spoke. "Now. All of you will come back with me," Darth Vader said, his ominously dark voice floating from the mask which hid his face. "Padmé. Come with me." He gestured for her to follow him, but she didn't move. Instead, she simply leaned up against a wall. "Padmé," he repeated, his voice threatening.

"My water just broke," she said in between gasps.


	10. Part X

"I can save her."

"And the Jedi Master?"

"Leave him to die. He is meaningless to my cause." The solemn voice poured out of the black mask richly.

"Certainly, Lord Vader," the droid answered. "What is to be done with the young Togruta?"

"Place her in a detainee cell. She is to become my apprentice once more." With that, Darth Vader entered the sterile white room in which Padmé lay upon a silver operating platform. "My wife," he said when she opened her eyes at the sound of him entering.

Her skin was pale and her nostrils flared each time she tried to fight the immense pain that gripped her whole body. She closed her eyes again and gripped the sides of the platform. "Don't do this," she struggled to say. "Don't make our children grow up like this." She took in a sharp breath.

"Children?" He was surprised at her use of the plural form.

She glared at him through slit eyelids, then cried out in pain.

"Ah, have a secret, do we?" He paused. "We will just have to wait, then."

"Excuse me, Lord Vader. We must begin now," a passing droid said monotonously.

He stepped away, folding his hands behind his back and looking on in silence as the droids began their work.

In another room, Obi-Wan looked at his shoulder and winced. The pain was becoming unbearable, though he knew that this could not compare to Padmé's at this moment. A droid entered and he looked up at his metallic captor hopefully.

"You are to be left in this room until you die. Lord Vader has no need-"

He raised his arm, separating it temporarily from his injured shoulder. His hand shook weakly and he used what energy he had left to Force the droid and reduce it to a crumpled, brainless pile of metal panels, copper-coated wires, and circuits. "Foolish of you to leave me with a mere droid, Anakin." He sighed in relief when he saw that the door could not shut with the droid in the way. Mustering all of his strength, he stood, cursing once, and began to jog down the hallway to find the detainee cells, for he sensed Ahsoka was trapped.

Padmé screamed helplessly. Her cheeks were flushed, her breathing was heavy, this was not the way she planned to bring her children into the world. She wanted to be in her apartment, holding on to Obi-Wan's hand. Now her husband, standing by in all of his Sith glory, didn't say another word to her, much less hold her hand.

Obi-Wan slammed his fist up against the control panel which controlled everything in Ahsoka's cell. the door flew up, opening, and the lights turned off inside. Ahsoka let out a fearful gasp, whipping her head up to see who it was.

"General Kenobi!" She immediately looked at his shoulder, which was tied with a blood-soaked rag. "My God, what are doing out here? This could get infected." She stood and practically sprinted to his side.

"I had to retrieve you." He groaned out of sheer agony when she moved the rag to have a peek. "We have to rescue Padmé before her children are taken from her."

"First, I'm going to dress this properly." She poked her head out of the opening and checked the hallway to make sure no one was coming. "My bag is down the hall, in the possessions room. We have to hurry before our absence is noticed. Will you make it?"

"Yes, I think so." His eyes told a different story, but Ahsoka knew better than to not take him at his word.

"Okay," she said somewhat reluctantly. She checked the hallway once more. "Let's go. Follow me."

They both raced down the hallway and ducked into an open room.

"Hey, you can't be in here!" Shouted a battle droid. He shot at Ahsoka, who easily dodged the blast. She rolled toward the droid and snatched the gun out of his metallic hands after kicking what would be his stomach, were he alive. She shot at his head, knocking it off. She scrambled around the table in the center of the room to get to the cubby-hole marked 1138, the number of the cell she was detained in.

"You okay?" Ahsoka yelled to Obi-Wan, who told her he was fine. She shot the control panel in the room with the blaster she took from the battle droid. The lights turned off, all of the cubby-holes' doors flew open, and sparks flew from the control panel. Grabbing her medical bag and lightsaber from cubby-hole 1138, Ahsoka yanked the antiseptic and wound dressing from the bag. "This might hurt, General Kenobi." The serious look in her eyes made him nervous.

"I have to rescue all five of us. I'm ready."


	11. Part XI

As they easily fought their way through waves of stormtroopers, battle droids, and droidekas, Ahsoka using the stolen blaster and Obi-Wan using Ahsoka's green lightsaber, they eventually found the medical wing. Obi-Wan's shoulder was wrapped up in dressing and gauze, though, thanks to Ahsoka's topical anesthetic and the Force, he felt virtually no pain. They seamlessly ventured through the many twists and turns in the hallways, both guided by the Force. Obi-Wan could sense great pain and agony, while Ahsoka sensed malicious plans about to come into play.

When they heard the feminine screams, they glanced at each other and bolted down the hall, weapons ready. Darth Vader was standing in the midst of many medical droids within Padmé's room.

Obi-Wan stopped just outside of the open door. Looking in tentatively, he was overcome with angst. _Surely Padmé is too far along to make it through a battle and the escape to Naboo_ , he thought.

Suddenly he saw Darth Vader's helmet raise. Obi-Wan placed his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber.

"Master Jedi, how good of you to come." The Sith Lord turned to face Obi-Wan, expecting to see two Jedi, but instead only seeing one.

"We did not come to bargain, Vader."

"We?" Darth Vader laughed momentarily. "She must have been shot down by a pathetic droid, Kenobi."

Obi-Wan did not seem to care that the young Togruta was missing. "I am leaving with Padmé and her children," he said sternly.

The Sith ignored his old master's use of "her" instead of "your." "You are not leaving alive, I can assure you." He stalked out of the room, allowing the door to shut out Padmé's concerned looks and loud cries. "I have failed to kill you twice. I will not fail again."

Lightsabers illuminated just as Ahsoka pushed out the vent grate and crawled silently in to Padmé's room.

Ahsoka, knowing the medical droids were not programmed with the intelligence to stop intruders, stood by Padmé's side, ignoring the droids' requests that she move away.

"Ahsoka," Padmé managed to get out. "Is everything all right? Where's Obi-Wan?"

"He's outside with An- Darth Vader, I mean."

Padmé let out a choked sob.

"But he'll be okay. We're going to get you to Naboo, since it's the closest system at the moment. Do you think you'll make it?"

Outside, Obi-Wan was facing off with Darth Vader. Both had their lightsabers flying about, one occasionally clashing with the other. The Sith Lord's red lightsaber cut through a wall, but came through it with electrical ease.

"You won't win, Anakin. You can't win!" Obi-Wan shouted as their lightsabers connected again. Then he turned and ran down the hallway, taking a left. Darth Vader followed in hot pursuit.

Ahsoka had Padmé in her arms, cradled like a small child. She peeked out of the door once she'd opened it and sighed in relief when she saw that the fight had moved somewhere else. She ran easily, being as strong and agile as she was, down and around to the hangar. Luckily no one was around, so she activated a large ship and waited inside with Padmé, knowing that Obi-Wan would be out soon if he followed the plan.

Sure enough, it was only three minutes later that the Jedi Master ran out in to the hangar and looked around quickly for signs of Ahsoka. He spotted the readied ship and ran up the loading platform.

"Quickly. We must move out before he tracks us to Naboo," Obi-Wan said, breathing heavily.

"I'll fly," Ahsoka informed him, nodding.

"What? No, I-"

"She's been asking about you. She needs you back there. I'll get us to Naboo safely."

Obi-Wan spun around and saw his beloved lying on a pullout bed platform. He looked back up at the young Jedi. "Go!"

Ahsoka nodded furiously and began punching away at buttons on the dashboard.

Once they'd safely pulled out of the Mustafar hangar, the two Jedi sighed simultaneously, placing their hands on their foreheads.

Ahsoka noticed the asteroid field coming up in front of the ship. At the same time, Padmé gave a shrill but weak cry of pain.

"I need you to give her the epidural, General Kenobi!" Ahsoka shouted as she dodged the asteroids flying across her field of view.

"The what?" Obi-Wan shouted back incredulously.

"It's the syringe in my bag! You need to shift her on to her side and insert it in to a specific vein near her spine."

"It sounds like you might be a little more qualified for this than I am, Ahsoka!" Obi-Wan looked at the syringe he'd pulled out of the canvas bag.

"You need to do that for her! We can't switch places now!"

"Which vein?"

"You'll see it, it's bright red and prominent. You can't miss it!" The ship shifted as it turned sharply to evade an oncoming asteroid.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he mumbled as he found what he thought was the correct vein in the senator's back. "Are you ready, Padmé?"

"Just do it, already, and stop dicking around," Ahsoka said quietly, although she knew Obi-Wan had heard.

"Three, two, one." He pushed the back of the syringe, releasing the liquid into Padmé's bloodstream as she sucked in a breath at the pinch of the syringe being inserted.

The ship settled quietly as it emerged unscathed from the asteroid field. Naboo came into view just in front of them. Ahsoka cheered mentally.

"Take over for me. I need to make sure she's okay."

Obi-Wan obeyed silently, taking the pilot's seat. _Blast. I hate flying and I end up having to land this thing_ , he thought.


	12. Part XII

As soon as the large ship landed in Naboo's royal starship port, palace guards had already surrounded the landing spot, guns raised. The current queen, Queen Jamillia, followed by several handmaidens and Captain Panaka, slowly waltzed towards the uninvited guests. The boarding platform lowered, and Obi-Wan jogged out, hand up to show he meant no harm. The queen immediately ordered that the guards lower their weapons.

"What brings you to our humble planet, Master Jedi?" She greeted, not unkindly.

Obi-Wan bowed deeply. "A dilemma, Your Highness. Senator Amidala is-"

"Senator Amidala?" Captain Panaka ducked out from the small crowd.

"You know her?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I served when she was queen."

"Perhaps you can help."

"Enough!" Jamillia shouted sternly, never breaking her posture. "General Kenobi, if you would _please_ explain your dilemma."

"My apologies, Your Highness. We have just rescued the senator from the hands of Darth Vader-"

"We?" Jamillia cocked an eyebrow. She seemed unfazed by the mention of the Sith Lord.

"Another Jedi, a young Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, assisted me."

"And where is Senator Amidala?"

"She's inside." Obi-Wan continued to explain exactly what was going on, and the queen listened intently.

Then she turned to her ever-faithful attendant. "Captain Panaka, please inform the medical ward that we will be hosting Senator Amidala very shortly."

"Yes, Milady." He bowed and briskly walked towards the right wing of the palace.

The queen focused on one of her closest ladies-in-waiting. "Sabé, would you make rooms available for three guests?"

The silent handmaiden nodded quickly, curtsied, and, holding up her extensive skirts, ran off to follow Captain Panaka.

"Master Jedi, please have your group follow us."

"Of course, Your Highness. Thank you."

Once inside, Padmé found herself clothed in white and staring at her all-too-familiar white surroundings. This reminded her of being surrounded by medical droids just two hours earlier while Darth Vader looked on, his mask hiding his emotions.

 _If he still has any_ , she thought wearily.

Obi-Wan now seemed to fill in for Darth Vader, his blue eyes taking in the scene before him, his irises harboring unwelcome anxiety. He padded towards her quietly, his hand gently caressing her face.

She let herself lean into his hand, wanting nothing but to be in her Coruscant apartment with him, her children, and nothing to worry about.

He slid his hand down and grabbed hers, still standing over her as her bent legs were covered by sheaths of metal.

Padmé's face contorted and she gripped his hand fiercely. Her eyebrows knit together in frustration and pain.

He wiped his head on the shoulder of his tunic, clearing away perspiration and hoping to give her what comfort he could manage while she was squeezing the life out of his fingers. When her grip subsided, he quickly took back his hand and tried to shake feeling back into the flushed digits. He grimaced, but kept his rapt attention on her.

Suddenly, the medical droid near her feet made a whirring sound and the room was flooded with the sounds of a wailing child. Obi-Wan grinned and stepped away, only to bring her firstborn, a son, near to her. The child was wrapped in a soft pale blue blanket, but his loud cries had not been subdued.

"Your son," Obi-Wan whispered, leaning in towards her ear so she could hear him.

"Luke," she breathed. She brought up a shaking hand to stroke Luke's smooth face, and she smiled sadly. Then, her breathing rate increased rapidly and Obi-Wan scurried to hand off the boy to an attending medical droid so he could offer his hand again. He tried to concentrate on the Force, as it was the spirit of all things, and prayed silently that it would not take her from him.

Once again, the droid buzzed and whirred, and held out a small, quiet infant with a dark thatch of hair. Obi-Wan's hand slipped out of Padmé's reach and brought over her daughter, who laid whimpering in the crook of his arm.

Padmé's eyes filled with tears as she realized that she finally had what she'd always wanted - a family of her own, one she could protect and be protected by. She slowly managed to sit up, then took her daughter in her own arms, whispering her name over and over and over.

"Leia is a perfect name. It's also the name of my favorite flower. The leia flower is dark and beautiful and ever graceful; it will suit her perfectly, Padmé."

Padmé glanced up at him gratefully, then returned her gaze to her daughter, whose eyes closed with the drowsiness brought on by the warm pink blanket which surrounded her. Obi-Wan left to retrieve Ahsoka from her room and then Luke from the padded arms of a medical droid.


	13. Part XIII

Obi-Wan looked lovingly at the baby girl cradled in the crook of his right arm and marveled at her fragility. She had her mother's dark, curly hair and the most beautiful blue eyes he'd ever seen. When she opened her eyes, she began to fuss and her arms raised in frustration.

The Jedi bounced her softly and tried to quiet her, but to no avail.

"Let me see her," Padmé said, startling him.

"You're not supposed to be up," he scolded, but he handed over her daughter anyway.

"And you're not supposed to be straining your muscles today." As soon as the baby realized she was in her mother's arms, she quieted down.

"One small baby isn't going to strain my muscles."

"Did you mean lack of muscles?" Padmé asked jokingly, poking his abdomen. They both laughed. "But I'm not an invalid. I have to do some things for myself to keep sane."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know. It's just that after everything I've been through, the last thing I want to be is the damsel in distress." She turned around and walked from the kitchen to the living room. Obi-Wan followed her casually.

"Where's Luke?" He asked.

"In his crib. He slept like an angel last night."

"Yes, I was surprised Leia didn't wake him."

"She's a loud one, that's for sure." Padmé smiled down at her sleeping baby. "It's funny; she was quite the opposite when she was born."

"That is true." He watched her for a minute, giving the conversation time to rest. "Will you please sit down?" Obi-Wan then requested. "It's only been a day."

"Fine." Padmé did what she was told and sat down on a deep purple couch. They were staying in the queen's palace, as Queen Jamillia promised to keep them hidden and protected for as long as they needed, since Padmé was a former Queen of Naboo herself.

"Thank you, Obi-Wan, for everything you've done."

"I am only doing my duty, Senator."

"I think we're way past the formalities by now."

Obi-Wan knew she was right. He had woken up holding her in an almost-kiss position, confessed that he loved her, and was present for the birth of her children. _It took me an hour to get the blood to flow back in to my fingers last night_ , he thought.

Then he made his first move. He leaned in and kissed her with such force she very nearly fell over. He held her steady by grasping her arm and keeping her upright.

When they broke apart, she could see the passion in his eyes. It almost scared her, but as her brown eyes searched his blue eyes, she saw gentleness as well. _He_ does _love me_. _He truly wants to be with me._

He echoed her thoughts, even though he had truly not been reading her mind. "I love you, Padmé. And I have so many plans for us if you'll let me have your heart."

"It's all yours. It's always been yours."

Leia started to cry again, causing both adults to look down at her.

"I should go feed her. Meanwhile, you should prepare for your operation." She squeezed his hand reassuringly, nodded, and started for her temporary chambers.

Obi-Wan watched her slip off in to the other room and close the door. Again, he knew that she was right. He needed to meditate and rest before going in to get his severed arm replaced with a fully-functioning mechanical one.

An hour later, he was shaken awake from his nap by Padmé, who informed him that it was time to leave for the palace's medical center.

Nervous as he was, he assured Padmé and Ahsoka that everything would be just fine.

That is, he hoped it would be fine.

As he lay topless on the smooth operating table, he looked straight up into the blinding lights, then closed his eyes. The local anesthetic made him tireder and he fell asleep just as a droid began the first cut into his shoulder.

Hours later, Obi-Wan awoke lying in a hospital bed, his strawberry-blond hair matted and askew with static electricity making it cling to the pillow under his head. He raised his left arm and, miraculously, it came up from under the sheets. He stared at the metal appendage for some time until he heard the door to his room slide open.

In walked Padmé and Ahsoka, both smiling coyly.

"How does it feel to have your arm back?" Padmé asked, still grinning.

"Ah, I can finally fight correctly again," he replied.

Padmé came closer, sat down on the chair next to his bed, kissed his forehead, and laid her head on his chest. "I was so scared. I know you promised you would be okay, but there was something in the back of my mind telling me that you wouldn't."

"Worry no longer." He began to stroke her hair and tell her about a nice apartment he'd found on Naboo a while back, never noticing how Ahsoka's eyes glinted enviously from the doorway.


	14. Part XIV

"It was nice meeting you, Senator." Ahsoka said, as Padmé pulled her into a hug.

"The pleasure's all mine, Ahsoka. It was wonderful meeting you and I cannot thank you enough for being with me through these past few months. If there's anything I can do for you, you know where to find me."

"Of course, Senator." Ahsoka pasted on a fake smile, although the Senator did not notice. Ahsoka knew exactly what favor she was going to ask. "May the Force be with you and your family."

"And may the Force be with you, Ahsoka."

With that, the young Togruta exited the veranda and boarded her small starship. Padmé watched keenly as Ahsoka's ship took off, flying out of sight into the atmosphere of Naboo.

Padmé gasped as Obi-Wan came up behind her, snaking his arms around her small waist.

"They're asleep, thank the Force," he whispered.

Something dripped onto her shoulder and she looked up at him. Upon the tips of his hair, there was the faint whiteness of formula. Another bead was about to drop when she reached up and caught it.

"Did everything go okay back there?" Padmé giggled lightly.

"Leia made a bit of a scene, but everything's as it should be." Obi-Wan gave her a lopsided smile. He then turned to look around the apartment. "Did Ahsoka leave already? I wish I could've said a proper goodbye."

"You know why you couldn't have done that," Padmé reminded him, walking over to sit down upon the couch. "She's already wary of our relationship."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows and smiled, pleased she would call it a relationship.

"We can't have Master Yoda learning of it."

He came up to sit behind her, placing his hands on her arms, and rubbed them soothingly. "No, especially not after seeing what a scandal you and Anakin were considered." He placed a quick kiss on her neck.

Her hands came up to touch his, her arms bending at the elbows.

"I miss him."

He looked down at her soft brown hair. "I know."

She looked up quickly. "Not that I don't-"

He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her.

"I know," was all he said.

She got up, out of his protective hold, and started for the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

"Where-" he began.

She stopped right outside of her bedroom door. "Come here."

Confused, he did as he was told.

The second he got close enough to touch, she grabbed his shoulders and kissed him feverishly.

The surprise attack was too much for him to fight. He allowed himself to follow her lead as they tumbled through the threshold and landed on the bed, their shoulders heaving. She kicked the door closed with her left foot, careful not to slam it so as not to wake the sleeping beings in the next room.

Passion lit the flame that linked their hearts as she fumbled with the silk sheets between them. She kicked her house slippers off and he tore the tunic from his back, dropping it on the floor.

The heated moment drew them closer, drew them away, then closer again until Padmé stopped.

She realized that there had been no warning, she wanted what she wanted, but she felt like she was forcing him into this. She felt like she wanted him more than he wanted her.

That was the only difference between master and apprentice: she always knew what Anakin wanted. He was so dangerous, so reckless, and yet so predictable in all his ways.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She asked him.

His ice-blue eyes burned into her soul. They etched a message into her memory, saying _I want to. I want to so badly._

That was a message branded so deeply, she would never be able to forget.

Obi-Wan hesitated. He truly did not know what he wanted. As far as he was concerned, he had everything he would ever need there within the walls of Queen Jamillia's palace.

"I can't. This is not the Jedi way. I'm so sorry." He stood, regret on his face and in his heart, and walked out.

And what hurt her the most was that he was telling the truth.


End file.
